


In This World

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Series: The Fragility of a Suncatcher [6]
Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Morgana redemption arc, and making an entire illusion castle to live in, avoiding your problems by running away, it's time to come back to reality babe, until your gf is like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 12:38:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17662793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Morgana tries avoiding her problems by running away to live underground in a castle that's naught but an illusion.





	In This World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tumblr Anon](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Tumblr+Anon).



“My lady.”

Morgana raises a hand.The music ceases.The court jesters look to her with fear in their eyes.She dismisses them with a wave of her other hand.They have not displeased her, only failed to entertain or enrapture.That isn’t really a punishable offense, is it?

Things in this time…in the past, there was much satisfaction to be found in invoking terror.Now, like so many other things, she just found it _lacking_.

“What is it?”Morgana inspects her nails.They’re perfect.She spent over an hour on them earlier, during the time she designated as “morning”.Morning, without sun, doesn’t truly exist underground.Morgana would have spent significant time debating whether or not she missed the sun’s rise and the way purples, reds, and oranges bled into the sky if she allowed herself the opportunity.Which she did not.

“We’ve caught a trespasser, my lady.”

Morgana turns her gaze just in time to see the guard gulp.Such a matter _shouldn’t_ need her input.Sure, in the past, she enjoyed ultimate control of every decision.But now?Now, it just grates on her nerves.Would it destroy the guards to have just the slightest independence or creativity?Sure, they’re just magical illusions she created to make her fortress seem a little less empty, but that shouldn’t matter.She _desired_ them to be creative, to be free-thinking, to be _worthy_ companions in her eternal solitude.That should be all it took for them to be so.She certainly got the ‘fearful of the Pale Lady’ bit right in her spell, so why hadn’t she _that_ , when she cared much more than she would like to admit about it?

It occurs to Morgana that the guard is staring at her while she contemplates.She glares at him.“You know the proper procedure for dealing with trespassers,” Morgana tells him coldly.“Now, carry it out or I’ll erase you from the spell.”She won’t (she never does), but she wouldn’t be the _Pale Lady_ if she didn’t threaten her technically-not-alive, magical, pretend companions every now and then.

“That’s…” Another gulp.

Morgana stops herself from rolling her eyes.“Out with it.I don’t have all day.”Or all ‘brief set of hours designated as day’.

“That’s the issue, my lady.”The guard manages to articulate words.Morgana would applaud him for the effort if she didn’t have her reputation to uphold.“The trespasser did not ‘sneak’.She approached the gates and demanded to see you.I have checked with the others.You issued no instructions to us upon our creation what we should do if a trespasser does not sneak.We are uncertain how to proceed.Without instructions from you—”

“Enough.”Morgana snaps.She hates it when they get into confused rants, as it usually means the spell is deteriorating and will need to be remade, and _that_ is a tiring task.“Just bring the trespasser to me.” She rubs her temples.She has half a mind to just erase the entire illusion—fortress, guards, jesters—from existence.But then she’d have _nothing_.Except boredom.

At least a trespasser would be a change from the monotony.

Despite the massive-appearing guards that flanked her with illusory spears (though the trespasser had no way of knowing they were fake) ready to pierce her heart, the trespasser held her head high as she is brought into Morgana’s throne room.

She comes to a stop just below Morgana’s throne.She gazes up at the sorceress, a pensive expression on her face.Finally, she speaks, “All this is a bit melodramatic, don’t you think, Ana?”

Morgana wants to say something back, something to throw the trespasser off, to put her in her place, but all she can think of is how happy she is to see her.

So, instead, with a wave of her hand, she commands the guards, “Leave us.”A redundant gesture, given her hand wave ended their existence.

The trespasser raises an eyebrow.“Those weren’t real people, were they?”

“Just an illusion,” Morgana replies.She wants to tell the trespasser to leave, but that could lead to her actually doing so, so Morgana doesn’t.

“Alright then.”The trespasser clasps her hands together.“We’re going home.Come on.”She reaches out to Morgana.

“No.”Morgana steps away.“This place is my home now.I will not leave.”

“No, it’s not.Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It _is._ Maybe in a different world, you thought you knew me, but—”

“In a different world, you would have had real people and wouldn’t have cared about destroying them.In a different world, your fortress wouldn’t have been so easily found by _me_.In a different world, you would have tried conquering the world instead of fleeing from it.Do you want me to go on, because I can, Ana?I _know_ you.”She approaches Morgana.“So, even if you think there’s no hope for you left, I can tell you your wrong.”She gently puts a hand on Morgana’s shoulder.“Look at me,” she tells the sorceress quietly.“I’m here.I’m fine.”

“I hurt you,” Morgana whispers.“Barbara,” she finally says the trespasser’s name.“I hurt you.I didn’t mean to, but I did.And there’s no coming back from that.”

“I’m here to tell you that there is.”

“But I—”

“Are growing as a person.A year ago, you wouldn’t have cared.”Barbara intertwines her hand with Morgana’s.“Now, come on, let’s go home.”She gives a reassuring smile to the sorceress.“It’s okay to be scared.I won’t tell anyone.”

Rather than say anything in return, Morgana allows Barbara to lead her back into the world, where home waits.


End file.
